Monday, April 30, 2018

Four Simple Ways to Address Morning Soreness

Even after a solid eight hours of sleep,
sometimes you still wake up feeling stiff and sore. And while a hot shower
sounds enticing, the thought of actually getting into that shower doesn’t. If
you’re one of the millions of people living with joint pain, the ache can set
in long before the day begins.

So why does this happen? As you age, your bones
begin to degenerate and the cartilage protecting and buffering your joints
becomes drier and less porous. During sleep, your muscles relax and your
circulation slows, as do the fluids lubricating your joints and cartilage. The
less fluid available for lubrication, the stiffer your joints become. And since
it can take some time for fluids to seep back into your joints in the morning,
the result is stiffness and pain.

Whether you’re living with arthritis, a sports
injury, back pain, or any number of other musculoskeletal conditions, joint
pain in the morning can shape your entire day. Fortunately, there are a few
steps you can take to make mornings a little easier on your joints.

1. Get Enough Sleep

This seems obvious, but many people people don’t
realize how important sleep is to their health and wellbeing. According to the
US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), a whopping 35% of adults don’t get enough sleep.

When you get less than seven hours of sleep, the
cost is often sore joints in the morning. Regularly missing out on sleep also
increases your risk of developing any number of other chronic diseases and
conditions, including stroke and heart disease. So embrace your beauty sleep—it
does your body good.

2. Position Yourself Properly

Along with the amount of sleep you get, pay
attention to how you sleep. A pillow
that’s too soft or too firm can place undue strain on your neck, forcing your
spine into uncomfortable positions.

A warm bath is a great way to relax before bed,
helping you sink into a restful sleep more easily. But the water also helps
soothe your muscles and joints, leading to less pain and stiffness come
morning. Trying adding Epsom salts to your bath to help with inflammation and
soften your skin.

4. Sleep Tight (and Warm)

When the temperature drops, your joint pain can
feel worse. No matter what the weather is doing outside, your body will be far
more responsive and your muscles more supple when they’re toasty in bed. Always
keep an extra blanket handy and keep your feet and toes under the covers. A
pair of snuggly bed socks can help keep them warm if you find you often kick
off the covers.

If joint pain is making your morning—and the rest of your day—hard to
endure, it might be time to consider other non-surgical options. Stem cell
therapy uses the body’s own regenerative abilities to help bring relief and
healing to patients with joint pain. Contact us today to find out if stem
cell therapy might help make your mornings a little brighter.